Art Director (Thumbnails & Packaging)

YTMG LTD produces documentary-style YouTube content that explains complex stories in a clear, engaging way. We run BeyondFacts and BeyondMilitary, reaching 38 million combined monthly views, with a third channel in development. We're a remote team of 26 built on one standard: good enough is never good enough. If you thrive on ownership, curiosity, and high standards, you'll fit right in.

We're hiring an Art Director to own everything a viewer sees before they press play: thumbnails, title and thumbnail packaging, and the visual standard across all our channels.

This is a hands-on role. You'll work closely with our channel strategists and title writers so title and thumbnail work as one package, and you'll give creative direction to the wider team so every video stays visually consistent. You'll report directly to the CEO.

What You'll Do

• Design and develop thumbnail concepts for every new video across our channels
• Shape the packaging for each video together with the title team, in weekly ideation calls
• Own the visual direction for each upload, from first sketch to final asset
• Run A/B tests
• Own CTR and views per video and share insights in weekly production meetings
• Audit and revamp older thumbnails to improve long-tail performance
• Direct our graphic designer through briefs, reviews, and feedback
• Give creative direction to the editing and animation teams to keep a consistent visual style
• Build the visual identity for our new channel
• Share performance insights in weekly production meetings

Qualifications

• Experience designing thumbnails for YouTube channels (100K+ subscribers preferred)
• Professional Photoshop compositing skills: light matching, masking, and retouching that reads as a real photo, not only AI output
• AI-assisted workflows (Ideogram, Magnific, Nano Banana)
• The ability to read YouTube analytics and turn them into design decisions
• A real feel for what makes someone stop scrolling: curiosity gaps, emotional triggers, visual tension
• Experience giving creative direction or feedback to other designers

Bonus

• Blender or other 3D tools for hardware and cutaways;
• AI image tools and the skill to make their output read as real
• Familiarity with military, geopolitics, or history content
• Motion graphics experience
• Experience building a channel's visual brand from scratch
• Experience managing designers.

What We're Looking For

A portfolio of YouTube thumbnails with measurable CTR data is non-negotiable. We want to see that you understand why a thumbnail works, not just that it looks good. Results and portfolio quality matter more than years on a resume. If your instinct is to design for beauty rather than for clicks, this isn't the right fit. The work you do here is measured, and that's the point.

This Role Is Not for You If

• Your work is mainly prompt-based, or it still reads as AI
• Your style is concept art, matte painting, or photobash rather than real-photo composites
• You mostly design face-reaction, podcast, or busy collage thumbnails
• You direct others but don't create your own work

Contract & Hours

Full-time, remote, 40 hours per week. Minimum 6 hours daily overlap with Cyprus / EET timezone required.

Hiring Steps

1. LinkedIn application (please include your portfolio)
2. Portfolio review and short video walkthrough (up to 5 minutes) of three of your thumbnails, with their views and CTR
3. HR screening call
4. Design Assignment
5. Interview with the CEO
6. Team fit call with the team you'll work with (without HR or the CEO)
7. Reference check
8. Offer